Blow-off gauge



.Feb.11, 1930. E.B."BEELER 1,746,923

BLOW-OFF1 GAUGE Fild July 18, 1927 mmf@ ATTORNEY Cil Patented Feb. l1, 1930 UNITED STATS' PATENT FFICE ESTEN BURLEIGH BEELR, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TG ESTA GAUGE COMPANY, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS BLOW-err GAUGE appncstinme 'Jury 1s, 132'?. serial No. ecaeea.

VMy invention relates to improvements in blow-oli gauges, and it consists in the 'combij nations, constructions, and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a bloWe-ol gauge tvhich is adapted to be applied to the valve stem of an inflated tire or the like for allowing only a predetermined amount of air under pressure to pass through the valve stem.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the type described which has a. novel means for allotving kthe air to torni an air-tight connection between the valve stein and the device,

A fui-ther object of my invention is toprovide a. device'of the type described which has novel means for preventing the escaping of air from the valve stem until the device can be removed therefrom.

vA further object of my invention is to provide' a device of the type described which Warnsthe operator when the desired amount of air has passed through the valve stem.

cylindrical casing 1 having a straight bore 2 whiclrcommunicates at 3 with a tapered bore rThejcasint-g 1 is provided with a closed end iva-ll 5V to which the Wal-ls of the tapered boreirexte'nd.`

resilient plunger 6 which is provided with a tapering outer Wall 7 is disposed in thetapered bore 4. The plunger 6 is provided with a recess or hollow port-ion 8 for a purpose hereinafter described. lA rigid abutting member 9 is disposed adjacent the' plunger 6 for receiving one end of a 'compres sion spring 10.

A spiral slot 11 extends through the casing 1 and is provided With a smooth Wall 12 and an opposite rough or toothed wall 13. A. cylindrical adjusting member 14 having a knurled head 15 is slidably and rotatably disposed in the straight bore portion of the casing 1A and abuts the other lend of the spring 10. The adjusting member 14 is provided with aligned openings 16 'and 17 for receiving a pin 18. rEhe pin 18 tapers to an edge 19 on one side Which yis adapted to be seated in the notches or teeth of the wall 13 of the slot. That portion of the pin opposite the edge 19 is rounded for allowing the pin to 'be readily moved upon the smooth Wall 12 of the spiral slot 11. 'A resilient stripsuch as a vibiatory reed or indicator 20 is rigidly secured at its inner end to the adjusting meniber 14 for a purpose hereinafter described.

The casing 1 is provided ivith-an annular flange 21. A sleeve 22 is disposed concentricl with the casing 1 one end abutting the annular flange 21 and is proy'ided with an in- F ternal longitudinal groove 23 for receiving the projecting end of the pin 18. The outer surface of the' sleeve 22 is provided ivitli graduations 24 'for indicating the number of pounds from 2() to 75 inclusive. in elongated collar 25 is disposed concentric with the casing'l and is rigidly secured thereto in abutting'relation with the sleeve 22, by any suitable means, such as a pin 2G. An` eating pointeror arrow 27 is disposed upon lar 25' and eXtendsj toward' the graduations 24.

A klionsing 28 is disposed concentric vvitli the casing 1 and rigidly secured thereto', by any suitable means, such as spot- 'ive'ldi'ng rhe housing 28 is provided with a reduced portion 29 which has external threads 3G' for receiving a hand pump or tieV like. The reduced portion 29 is provided with an internallythreaded portion 31 into which a valve push rod 32 is disposed. The valve push rod is provided with a relatively small air passageway 88 which is disposed' oil center and which communicates with the casing 1.l i plug 84' is screived into the threaded opening the col- 31 and is provided with a central opening 35. A rubber ball 36 is disposed between the plug and the adjacent end of the push rod 32 for a purpose hereinafter described.

A sealing means 37 in the form of a resilient cylindrical member is disposed in the housing 28 and spaced away from the walls thereof. The member 37 is provided with an outwardly extending annular flange por-" tion 38 which is rigidly held between the end of the housing 28 and a cover 39 which is threaded upon the housing.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood. The graduation upon the sleeve 22 adjacent the indicating arrow 27 denotes Ithe amount of air pressure which will be allowed to pass through the device. Let us assume that the operator wishes to have 45 pounds of air pressure pass throughthe device. The device must first be set to allow only 45 pounds pressure to pass therethrough. In setting the device, the operator grips the knurled head 15 and forces inwardly against the tension of the spring 10, thus releasing the pin 18 from the notched surface 13. During the inward movement of the adjusting member 14, the operator rotates the adjusting member, the pin 1S in turn rotating the sleeve 22 until the graduation indicating 45 pounds is in alignment with the indicating hand or arrow 27. By releasing the adjusting member, the spring 10 will force the adjusting member, together with the pin, outwardly until the pin is received in a notch in the notched surface 13. 'Ihe notches in the notched surface 13 are equal in number to the graduations 24.

It is obvious that as the adjusting member 14 is actuated to rotate the sleeve from a position whereby the graduation of 20 pounds will be in alignment with the indicating arrow or pointer 27, the adjusting member is moved inwardly, thus increasing the tension of the spring 10 upon the plunger 6. Therefore, the greater the tension of the spring 10 upon the plunger 6, the greater will be the pressure required for moving the plunger against the tension of the spring.

After the device is set for 45 pounds air pressure, the device is then disposed upon a valve stem 40 of an automobile tire or the like in such a manner that the sealing means or member 37 will surround the valve stem. see Figure 3. The push rod 32 engages with the valve 41, thus opening the valve in the valve stem. n By depressing the valve 41, the air is permitted to pass from the tire or the like into the casing 1 between the end wall 5 and the plunger 6. If the pressure in the tire is greater than that intended to be by the operator, or more than pounds, the plunger 6 will be forced against the tension of the spring, allowing the excess air pressure to pass around the tapered walls of the plunger,

through the casing, and through the hollow adjusting member 14. As the excess air passes through the adjusting member, the force of the air will cause the indicating member 2O to vibrate giving a warning signal to the operator.

However, if no warning is given to the operator by the vibration of the warning signal 20, the operator is assured that there is not the desired amount of pressure within the tire. Therefore, by placing an air hose, as indicated at 42, upon the reduced portion 29 so that the plunger of the air hose will engage with the plug 34, air will be forced through the opening 35 past the ball 36, through the passageway 33 into the casing 1 between the end wall 5 and the plunger 6, and through the valve stem 40. This passage of air continues until the pressure in the tire has reached 45 pounds. The air entering the casing 1 also enters the recess 8 in the plunger 6, thus forcing the resilient walls of the plunger outwardly into engagement with the tapered bore 7. In a like manner, the air entering the casing 1 passes around the sealing means or member 37, forcing the same into close engagement with the valve stem, thus forming an air-tight connection therebetween.

Vhen the desired amount of pressure has been reached in the tire, the excess pressure will be sufficient to force the plunger 6 against the tension of the spring 10 outwardly and allow the excess air to pass around the plunger through the casing 1 and through the adjusting member 14 by the vibratory indicator 20. The actuation of the indicator 20 will warn the operator that the desired pressure has been reached within the tire and the operator may then remove the air hose 42 from the device. vVhen the relatively great pressure has been removed from the device by the removing of the air hose 42, the sealing member 37 is allowed to seek its rnormal position, and the device may then be readily removed from the valve stem. The purpose of the ball 36 is to prevent the escaping of air from the tire after the air hose has been removed, and is to permit the air to escape only by way of the plunger 6.'

I claim.: y

In a device of the type described, a casing, said casing having a cylindrical bore portion and a tapered bore portion, a plunger having a chamber in one end and having a tapered periphery disposed in said tapered bore portion and arranged to be moved by air pressure in said chamber, a compression spring in the cylindrical bore portion abutting at one end said plunger, means in said bore abutting the other end of said spring for varying the tension of said spring, and for varying the amount ofair pressure required for moving said plunger, said means comprising a tubular adjusting member, a pin carried` by the same, said casing having a spiral slot, and through which said pin projects, a graduated sleeve surrounding said easing and oov ering said slot, sai-d sleeve having an interior longitudinally extending groove to receive the free end of said pin, a collar on said oas ing restraining said graduated sleeve against longitudinal movement, and having oo-operating graduated means thereon, and means in one Wall of said spiral slot for receiving a portion 0In said pin whereby to hold the adjusting member in any adjusted position, said tubular adjust-ing member adapted to carry audible signal means.

ESTEN BURLEIGH BEELER. 

